da news

14/10/2003:

yay we´ve got it!! here´s a piccie of westlifes brand new "turnaround" album cover... isnt that great!?!

12/10/2003:

IF WE DON'T SUCCEED WE'LL BE NOTHING MORE THAN A BIG LUMP OF MEAT FOR A BUNCH OF VULTURES

Westlife on their make or break CD

WESTLIFE have sold more than 30 million records, notched up a record-breaking seven successive UK No 1s and are millionaires into the bargain.How does that make them feel? Happy? Confident? On top of the world? No, the answer is dead nervous. Pop's biggest boy band are terrified their phenomenal five-year run of success could be about to end. The Irish lads Bryan McFadden, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne and Shane Filan release new album Turn Around on November 24. As they gave the Sunday Mail an exclusive track-by-track preview, they admitted it could be the beginning of the end unless they take a few risks. Kian told me: ``This is a turning point. We've got to succeed with this record. ``After we released our greatest hits album, Unbreakable, last year, many people thought that was it for Westlife. They didn't think we were coming back. ``We know that if Turn Around isn't up to the standard of previous albums we're in trouble.'' Mark added: ``We've achieved record sales of more than 30 million. Nobody can take that away from us. The only pressure we have is to sustain that success. ``If we don't we'll be nothing more than a big lump of meat to a bunch of vultures. There are people who'd love to attack us. ``We're only human. Of course we worry about the day all this ends. We'rehoping this album will keep Westlife going.'' Nicky said: ``We all share the same goals. We're never happy being No 2, we want to be No 1. We want to be headliners. The main attraction. The best. ``Bands have started to challenge ourposition. It's more difficult for us to get a No 1 record than it was three years ago.'' Westlife are locked away in a London recording studio putting the finishing touches to Turn Around. Last Monday, they broke cover to launch their latest DVD, The Greatest Hits Tour Live from MEN Arena.They talked to me frankly about fame, money and trying to sustain their amazing success.Turn Around features a selection of new tracks including their next single, Mandy, a cover of the cheesy 1971 Barry Manilow hit.The idea came from their record label mentor, Simon Cowell of Pop Idol, and it's already being tipped as a Christmas No 1.Other key tracks are I Did It For You, written by superstar songwriter Diane Warren, a U2-style track called Here and a version of Garth Brooks' Lost In You.Nicky said: ``Our manager Louis Walsh and our record company BMG say we can become the next Bee Gees. I don't think so.
``We can only be a boy band for so long before our popularity fades. It's time we tried different songs and took a few big gambles.``It's time to be more courageous. RobbieWilliams is a perfect example of a pop artist who takes risks. We should do the same.'' Kian added: ``We've got to be careful if we make a change. It's when acts switch from what they do best that it can all go wrong. ``Look at Celine Dion or Mariah Carey. They both lost what they had when they tried to be a bit more credible and cool. ``We sold out 67 shows in the UK last year. You can't turn your backonwhat has made us successful. If another boy band comes along and improves on what we're doing that's when our popularity will fizzle out.'' It's hard to imagine Westlife's shelf-life coming to an end. At 25, Nicky is the oldest member of the group. But if the lads were forced into premature retirement, financially they'd be set up for life. When I asked them: ``Are you rich?'' the answer was an unequivocal ``Yes.'' ``We're rich beyond our wildest dreams, '' said Nicky. ``It's a brilliant feeling. When you're 17 and still atschoolyouthinkof all the things youcouldbuy if youwerea millionaire. ``Then when you're in this situation you don't feel rich. We couldn't buy a cheap house in some estate not because we're snobbish but because we'd constantly have 1000 kids camped outside. ``So we're forced to buy expensive houses with security. You have to spend twice as much on a place whether you want to or not.'' Kian added: ``We're all millionaires but it happened slowly. When the big cheques came rolling in we looked at them and thought: `Wow!' ``But we'd had seven UK No 1s before we began to see our first big money. ``Our biggest extravagance is cars. We've got Ferraris and BMW 4x 4s. We do live it up to that extent.'' But handling pots of cash took a bit of getting used to. Nicky told me: ``I remember goingtoseemybankmanagerin Sligoand got a loan of £16,000 to buy a Peugeot 306 and another £5000 on overdraft for insurance. ``I didn't make that much money with the band for another two years. We'd been told we'd signed a multi-million pound record deal. I thought we'd won the Irish Lotto. ``It just goes to show how naive we all were. In the end, I sold the car to cut my losses for £3000 less than I bought it.'' Westlife are planning a tour next year to perform the songs on Turn Around. Andthey can't wait to return to the SECC for a string of gigs. Their last visit to the Glasgow venue was certainly eventful. ``We'd just come off stage when two girls burst into our dressing room, '' recalled Shane. ``We were sitting in our boxer shorts, half naked, covered in sweat. ``We thought: `What the hell are they doing?' Our wardrobe mistress was screaming at them because they were trying to nick some of our clothes as souvenirs.'' ``It's great to have lots of women scream at you. But it's hard to take it seriously. We feel that if girls queue up, spend their money on a Westlife ticket we should give them what they want.'' But just how longcan Westlifekeepup this phenomenal level of success and adulation? Kian said: ``We've learned our trade both on stage and off. But we're mature enough to realise that if any one of the five wanted to quit we wouldn't stand in his way. ``If anybody said: `I don't want to be in Westlife anymore, ' we wouldn't force them to go on. ``We'd shake each other's hands, walk away and in 10 years time still remain good friends.''

12/10/2003:

Bryan's track by track guide to the new Turn Around album

TURN AROUND: A typical Westlife-style pop chorus but the verses are a bit more quirky. It's got a real funky production which makes it a great pop song.

ON MY SHOULDER: It's probably going to be our next single in Europe. There's something which gives it a very traditional Westlife feel. It's a greatballad but doesn't have the typical chorus where we're all singing together. It's got a little bit more of a nursery rhyme feel.

MANDY: Simon Cowell suggested we cover the Barry Manilow classic so it will be our next single release in time for Christmas. It's the kind of song which will touch everyone at that time of year.

THANK YOU: Another up-tempo Westlife numberin the same vein as Uptown Girl. It's got a very summery feel.

I DID IT FOR YOU: Written by Diane Warren, thiswas supposed to be on the soundtrack of the Veronica Guerin movie but the producers wanted a female to sing it. Diane told them they could take the song with Westlife or not at all.

LOST IN YOU: It's a cover version but few fans in the UK will ever have heard it. The track wasoriginally recorded by country music superstar Garth Brooks in his musical alter-ego of Chris Gaines. It's an amazing number and vocally it's a very ambitious song for us to do.

OBVIOUS: It's a Swedish song written by the same team who penned material for N-Sync. It's got a Love Is All Around by Wet Wet Wet kind of feel a real anthem.

WHEN A WOMAN LOVES A MAN: Above all other tracks on the album, this is about as old school Westlife as you get. It's a cross between Flying Without Wings and Swear It Again.

HEY WHATEVER: Our first single from the new album. It felt like a bit of a departure for us musically. We didn't know how people would react but the feedback from fans has been great.

BE WITH YOU: A Mr Big song which we performed on our last UK tour to see what thereaction would be and it went down a storm.

HERE: It has an 80s feel and reminds us of With Or Without You by U2. A great mid-tempo track.

THEY DON'T KNOW: The last song on the album and it's about how our relationships within the band have changed over the years. People tend to judge us by what they read in the papers. They don't really know us as people. This song is us putting the record straight.

11/10/2003:

POP Kings Westlife are on course for a fourth consecutive year at the top of the Christmas DVD charts.
The lads' Greatest Hits Tour DVD has whipped the competition this week, with some areas drafting in emergency supplies to keep pace with the demand.
The lads first topped the festive DVD charts in 2000 with Coast to Coast. Where Dreams Come True held on to the top spot in 2001 and Unbreakable did the business last year, scoring the band their hat trick.
"They're going for four years on the trot- then they'll really have something to celebrate this Christmas," commented a bands spokesperson

Taken from todays Irish Star

25/09/2003:

Nicky & Georgina Are The Fashion...

Celebrity newly weds Nicky and Georgina Byrne attended their first public event last night and upstaged the whole show with their just-married glow!


Newly Weds Nicky and Georgina Byrne

Westlife's Nicky Byrne and the Taoiseach's daughter Georgina Ahern have always been the cutest couple on the block and since they exchanged vows in an over-hyped ceremony in France the Byrnes are even more cute than ever.

Taken from ShowbizIreland.com

22/09/2003:

Pop sensations Westlife are hoping the might of crooner Barry Manilow will catapult the band back to the top of the charts.
The group were disappointed when their new single, Hey Whatever, failed to saor to the top of the charts in the UK yesterday.
Westlife's astest release only managed to rise to number four in the UK and number two in Ireland.
But the band ahve already lined up their next chart bif, which will be a cover of the Barry Manilow smash hit, mandy.
The pop idols were in a London studio recording the goldie oldie over the weekend.
"Its a big ballad that will be a big hit again for Westlife," said manager Louis Wlash. "It's just a romantic song that appeals to every age group."
Westlife released Hey Whatever, as the furst single from their forthcoming album last week.
The song is a cover of the Relish track, Rainbow Zephyr.
The band's last number one was nearly a yar ago when they released Unbreakable in Novemeber.
If they crack top spot with Mandy they will match the record set by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, who are seconnly to the Beatles terms in terms of British number one hits.

Typed up by me from todays Irish Star,. if you want to use it for your group or whatever just credit Pop sensations Westlife are hoping the might of crooner Barry Manilow will catapult the band back to the top of the charts.
The group were disappointed when their new single, Hey Whatever, failed to saor to the top of the charts in the UK yesterday.
Westlife's astest release only managed to rise to number four in the UK and number two in Ireland.
But the band ahve already lined up their next chart bif, which will be a cover of the Barry Manilow smash hit, mandy.
The pop idols were in a London studio recording the goldie oldie over the weekend.
"Its a big ballad that will be a big hit again for Westlife," said manager Louis Wlash. "It's just a romantic song that appeals to every age group."
Westlife released Hey Whatever, as the furst single from their forthcoming album last week.
The song is a cover of the Relish track, Rainbow Zephyr.
The band's last number one was nearly a yar ago when they released Unbreakable in Novemeber.
If they crack top spot with Mandy they will match the record set by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, who are seconnly to the Beatles terms in terms of British number one hits.

Typed up Ciara from http://thebestlife.cjb.net

17/09/2003:

UK midweek charts:

1 Rachel
2 BEP
3 Westlife
4 Dido
5 Louise
6 Nickleback
7 Jamelia
8 Big Brovaz
9 Limp Bizkit
10 So solid

16/09/2003:

Greatest Hits Tour DVD due in October
----------------------------------------------------------

Westlife will be releasing a live DVD and VHS of the Greatest Hits tour they
performed earlier this year, on October 6th.

To sneak preview the footage click the video links below to watch a clip of If I
Let You Go being performed, which you can also see in the picture on the left.

A full tracklisting is below, and the whole of the performance will be on both
the DVD and VHS formats. Both formats will also feature a documentary titled
'Bringing It Home', which follows the tour from rehearsals through to the final
triumphant shows in Dublin and Sligo.

Exclusive to the DVD version will be 4 promo videos which are previously
unreleased on DVD (including current single Hey Whatever), an alternative edit
to the concert track When You're Looking Like That, hidden footage including a
back stage tour with Shane and an interactive game with bonus footage. Phew!

Full tracklisting:
What Makes A Man
Swear it Again
When Youre Looking Like That
If I Let You Go
Tonight
Flying Without Wings
My Love
Bop Bop Baby
Queen Of My Heart
Get Around
Do You Love Me
Twist And Shout
Great Balls Of Fire
Kiss
Fool Again
Swear It Again
Written In The Stars
Unbreakable
What Makes A Man
World Of Our Own + Be With You

taken from www.westlife.com ah yeah and i also want inform ya that WL are no. 3 in the UK charts right now (read it on the net dunno if its true) but KEEP BUYING THE SINGLE!

15/09/2003:

Woolworths Chart (W/C - 15 September 2003)


1. Westlife - Hey Whatever
2. Rachel Stevens - Sweet Dreams (My LA Ex)
3. Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love
4. So Solid Crew - Broken Silence
5. Dido - White Flag
7. Louise - Pandora's Kiss/Don't Give Up
8. Justin Timberlake - SenoWithout Knickers
9. Nickelback - Someday
11. Mary J Blige - Love At First Sight
13. Limp Bizkit
16. Sting
17. Jamelia - Superstar
19. Siobhan

14/09/2003:

the german hey whatever sigle contains three songs: hey whatever, i won´t let you down and singing forever... you can also find the hey whatver video, making of hey whatever video and the video to the tonght metro mix on the new single...

klick here to the pics of the etc.

14/09/2003:

Westlife have dumped Simon Cowell for their fifth studio album because of his work with Pop Idol. Simon has been the band's A&Rman for four and a half years but the group -- Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Bryan McFadden, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily -- didn't want to play second fiddle to the record man's other job -- as a judge on the reality tv show. Andtheband believe if they'd waited for busy Simon to work with them, their careers would have fizzled out. In an amazingly frank interview with 192, Kian from the group admits they are worried about the reaction to the new material and scared there is no interest in the band any more. Kian, 23, said: ``We did the newalbum all by ourselves, there was no record company involvement. ``Simon has no involvement whatsoever. He's just too busy with Pop Idol and if we'd waited for him to keep it going our careers would be over. ``We took his role on ourselves and approached songwriters and producers, telling them we needed something newthat was exciting and fresh. We knocked someofthewritersbackandhadopenarms to others. We were trying to find a sound that was really, really strong. ``It was a big step for five young guys to take it upon ourselves. But we feel we've done a fantastic job.''

The first single from the album is certainly different to what we usually expect from Westlife -- those big slushy ballads. Hey Whatever is out on Monday and is more Uptown Girl than the group's usual offerings. It's uptempo, with a few chunky guitars and the clap­along melody loved by drunken karaoke singers. This is make or break for the band who admit they've probably got two years left before they call it a day. Westlife, who have had 11 No. 1s, shouldn't be worried about changing a formula which has kept them at the top since their 1999 debut Flying Without Wings. But maybe cracks were appearing. Their last No. 1 was Unbreakable but their last single Tonight/Miss You Nights only managed the third spot, beaten by Room 5 ft Oliver Cheatham's Make Luv and Gareth Gates' Spirit In The Sky. Maybe the band are a bit jittery about younger stars like Gareth Gates stealing their thunder. But Kian disputes this.

He said: ``We're not concerned about what number it goes in at, we are concerned about how many people buy it andhowmany people are still interested in Westlife. ``If the single didn't go straight in at No. 1 it wouldn't be a disaster. We'd look at it to see if we had done something wrong. ``It's a big step for us, but we didn't want Westlife to stay where it was and slowly fade away. We want something big and powerful to mark our ground as Westlife. ``People like Westlife for the vocals and they relate to our songs. But we want to throw something into the mix to make it exciting for us and for them.'' Gone are the power ballads like Miss YouNights -- butdon'tthinkthenewalbum will be Westlife doing hip hop, or Westlife as Oasis. Kian said: ``It won't get rockier than Hey Whatever. There's a few chunky guitars but it's still a pop song which needs good singers. ``What we want are epic­style anthems that everyone can sing along to at football matches or concerts.'' The second single will probably be a ballad -- but will depend on the success of Hey Whatever. He added: ``If it doesn't do well, then we'll look at the album and we'll pick a safer record.''

Kian admits much of the problems may have stemmed from their greatest hits package which drew a line under their first years and made people think they were about to split, despite calling it Volume 1. Kian said: ``After the greatest hits album everyone was expecting us to break up. We always knew we weren't going to break up because we were getting on too well. It would be stupid to do that considering we are such good mates and still successful. ``Westlife will continue for at least another two years, no one wants to branch out just yet.'' Luckily for Westlife, there are no obvious contenders to their throne. Blue have carved an edgier path and haven't had the same single success.

And the others? Triple 8 and D­ Side have hardly set the charts alight. Kian agrees: ``D­Side are Irish and decent lads, but we turned down Invisible quite a few years ago. ``And Triple 8 I don't think an awful lot of. They're good, but these bands will come andgo. It's abigdreamtodowhatwedoand it's been amazing it's been so successful. ``To succeed it's all about the songs and that's why we've spent so much time find­ ing the right ones for us.'' Their fanbase has changed as well. Where it used to be mainly teenage girls under 16, now 80 per cent are over 20 and most are between 20­40. The younger fans have gone to Busted, Blazin' Squad, Girls Aloud and Justin Timberlake, but Westlife have grown up. Nicky and Bryan are married. Shane marries Kian's first cousin Gillian Walsh in the winter. And while Mark stays a bach­ elor boy, Kian, after some revealing kiss and tells is settled into a relationship with Hollyoaks honey Jodi Albert, who plays Debbie Dean and who used to be in Girl Thing. Kian said: ``A lot of the stories about me are bulls****. I kick myselfwhen I seemynameattachedtopeo­ ple like Jodie Marsh. I think: ``Jesus Christ, whatwereyouever at. Youdofeelused,but I've learnt to live with it. We've been doing this for five years andyouhave to live a life. But you have to be careful.

``My Jodi is a brilliant girl. We have a great time and a great relationship. She was in a band so there's a very good under­ standing and it's nice to have that. And it's not strange dating another Jodie.'' They've known each other for six years and got back together after Jodi bumped into Westlife's manager Louis Walsh. They met in London and it kicked off. His relationship with Jodi has stopped the continuing kiss and tells which seem to have dogged the best looking of the Westlife camp. Kian became hot property in the London party scene dating Atomic Kitten Liz McClarnon and being chased by Amanda Holden and Jordan, although he turned them down. So what does he think about Gareth Gates and Jordan? Kian said: ``He kept his mouth shut and thought it wasn't anyone else's business. But Jordan didn't see it that way and was looking for publicity.''

And what about the other fame seekers -- like Gareth Quinn who he had a fight with in Sligo two years ago? He sold his story in June this year claiming it was Kian who'd started the fight and called them `tramps'. He also denied Kian's claims he'd broken his arm and given his pal a bloody nose. But rather than distancing himself from the story, Kian said: ``He is a tramp, no two ways about that. At the end of the day I'm the one travelling the world, selling mil­ lions of albums and being successful. ``He accused me of provoking it which is extremely untrue. But I don't really care and don't pay attention to that.'' As well as the new album Kian is looking forward to the third Westlife wedding. There will beno Hello! style bunfights with journalists at this one, like there was with Nicky and Georgina Ahern's wedding. And Kian will be a best man at Shane's wedding, as will Mark. He added: ``I grew up with Gillian. I won't need to say any strong words to Shane about being good to her. He's very kind to her. We are all enjoying our lives.''

Source: Daily Record

10/09/2003:

Westlife's Kian Egan has launched an astonishing attack on ex-girlfriend and Atomic Kitten star Liz McLarnon.

The singer said their fling was one of his biggest mistakes, claiming she stalked him by phone. He said: "It was so bizarre and i'll never go back there, Liz is one strange cookie." Kian, 23, started dating Liz earlier this year but the couple split after just a few weeks. It was later claimed she had dumped Kian, who reportedly became obsessed with the Liverpool-born singer and was desperate to win her back. But furious Kian said: "From the day we broke up, i've never called her number in my life and, believe me, she's called mine." Kian said she had reportedly phoned him for months - but he would not take her calls. He added: "When we ended, it was splashed over the papers that i'd neen pestering her and calling her when i was drunk, begging her to take me back - but it was quite the opposite. I was certainly not obsessed with her." Kian and Liz, 22, first met when the kittens supported Westlife on tour and got together in January to enjoy a 2 month fling. But the couple soon fell out.
Since Kian split from Swede Jessica Forsman last year, he has been linked to a string of celebrities including Amanda Holden. Essex Wives star Jodie Marsh bragged she had shared steamy nights of passion with Kian. But millionaire Kian is less than happy to be associated with the former lap dancer. He said "I despise my name being mentioned in the same sentence as hers." "I was with her in a nightclub once and that was it - we never even went on a date." "We had a few drinks and ended up having a snog. Shes just a fame seeking so-and-so!" For the last three months, Kian has been dating Hollyoaks star Jodi Albert, 21, who he met when she was in a band called Girl Thing. Kian said: "Jodi is a fantastic girl and i'm very happy to be with her. It's a very good relationship." Yesterday, Liz - who had an on-off affair with Lee Ryan from Blue and has also been linked to Calum Best - laughed off Kian's scathing comments. A close friend of the star said "Liz knows she was the one who broke it off with Kian." "She is in the studio recording a new album at the moment. She just laughed it off."

06/09/2003:

September 15 - SINGLE RELEASES

Alien Ant Farm - These Days
Chemical Brothers featuring Flaming Lips - Golden Path
Clea - Download It
Tim Deluxe - Less Talk, More Action
Electric Soft Parade - Things I've Done Before
Evanescence - Going Under
Foo Fighters - Have It All
Fountains Of Wayne - Stacey's Mom
I Monster - Who Is She?
Jamelia - Superstar
Kinesis - One Way Mirror
Lab 4 - Candyman
Lamya - Black Mona Lisa
Louise - Pandora’s Kiss
Mankato - Pictures Of The Other Side
Lene Marlin - You Weren't There
Nickelback - Someday
Lisa Marie Presley - Sinking In
Finley Quaye featuring Beth Orton - Dice
Spooks - Faster Than You Know
Stain'd - So Far Away
Rachel Stevens - Sweet Dreams (My LA Ex)
Sting - Send Your Love
Texas - Carnival Girl
Justin Timberlake - Señorita
Turin Brakes - 5 Mile (These Are The Days)
Westlife - Hey Whatever

03/09/2003:

Westlife will line up alongside the Rolling Stones and Santana at a music festival aiming to restore some glitz to Sars-hit Hong Kong. Jose Carreras, Craig David, Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou and boy band F4, will also take part in the concert series titled Hong Kong Harbour Fest. James Thompson, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce, which is organising the event with the government, said: "We thought we could all help Hong Kong recover by bringing some exciting, world class entertainment here." He hopes the event will attract tourists from North America, Europe and Japan and in turn create jobs. An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome between March and May dealt a heavy blow to the already struggling economy. The disease, which killed 299 people and left 1,755 ill, prompted travel warnings and devastated tourism, hotel and other businesses. The festival will take place at the outdoor Tamar site along Hong Kong's waterfront between October 15 and November 9. It is estimated to be costing the equivalent of £10.6million. The government has agreed to contribute £6.5million if half the tickets are sold, said Mike Rowse, one of the organisers. The Stones will perform on November 7 and 9, with top tickets priced at about £160 each. More than 200,000 tickets for 18 shows will be available for the entire festival and ticket sales will begin on September 12.

02/09/2003:

Westlife will be on The Saturday Show.You can send in your questions to thesaturdayshow@bbc.co.uk write "question for Westlife" as the subject. Come on everybody! :)

www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/saturdayshow 

02/09/2003:

According to Music Men, Westlife's new album will be released in the UK on November 10. The 2nd single off the album will be released a week later, on Novemeber 17th.

Taken from: Music Men

02/09/2003:

hiya all!!! here ya can see a new piccie of nicky (@cd:uk this weekend)... as ya can see he has a new look... what do ya think? write your opinions in my guestbook ar e-mail me and i´ll add a topic bout this on my site... he also wears his braces again...

(this pic belongs to www.westlife-luvers.net!!)

23/08/2003:

WESTLIFE star Bryan McFadden has revealed all about his sex shame with a lapdancer. And he says he was put on 24-hour suicide watch after wife Kerry confronted him. Dad-of-two Bryan, 23, faces a bitter court battle with Amy Barker over her sex-and-drug allegations. He told The Sun: “A 30-second moment of madness will cost me a lifetime’s punishment.” um-of-two Barker, 29, claims the heart-throb singer, “fuelled with cocaine”, had sex with her on his stag night two years ago. But Bryan says: “It’s time the truth was told. I admit this woman did perform a brief oral sex act on me.



“But, there was no reluctance on her part whatsoever. And I can categorically state that I never had intercourse with her and have never taken cocaine. “I am totally anti-drugs. I’ve had friends who committed suicide after they became addicts. “I’m not proud of the truth — it is shameful enough. But what this woman is saying is obscene. “I’m no longer willing to stand by while she tries to damage me and my family.” Bryan, who wed former Atomic Kitten star Kerry Katona, 22, two years ago, first saw Barker — a Spearmint Rhino lapdancer — during his stag night with 84 mates three months before his marriage. He says: “We’d hired a coach to take us from Dublin to Limerick where we’d planned a meal and karaoke night



This woman and her friend turned up at the coach in Dublin. On the bus the two of them began to entertain everyone. “We were all in high spirits — we were drinking beer throughout the whole journey. The girls performed lapdances on nearly all of the lads, wriggling around suggestively. “It was a typical stag do. At one point in the journey everybody chucked £20 in a hat and the two women performed a lesbian sex act, kissing and groping each other. “When the coach reached Limerick, the girls went their own way and we all went off to a restaurant and, later, to a karaoke bar and a pub. “We were all quite drunk. When I got to my hotel with my friend Mark, we were told the two women were upstairs in a bedroom continuing to perform lapdances for the party. “We went up to the room. We each sat on a bed while the two women performed in front of us. Mark’s lapdance finished first and he and one girl left


The room was dark, you could barely see in front of you. “I was sitting on the bed when the woman undid my flies and began to perform oral sex. “I was disorientated, it was very unexotic and unerotic. It lasted all of 30 seconds before I realised how stupid I was being. “It wasn’t something I’d intended to happen. Afterwards I went back to the bar and sat there, white-faced. “I felt guilty, ashamed, grubby. It had started as a laugh and gone too far. “My only concern was the shame I felt. It never occurred to me that I would later face a demand for money to keep the matter private.” Bryan was called five days later by record company chief Simon Cowell, who told him Barker had approached PR agent Max Clifford, saying she wanted to sell her story. Barker was apparently desperate for money, but was anxious to protect her own identity and that of her family. Max Clifford suggested that instead of selling her story, and to protect her family and Bryan, she could be paid £15,000 in return for entering into a confidentiality contract, preventing her from discussing the matter in public. Bryan agreed to pay this sum and Barker was advised on this matter by a firm of specialist media lawyers. Bryan says: “My greatest fear was losing Kerry. I’d have done anything for her not to find out. I knew I had made a stupid mistake but that’s all it was. It was a foolish, drunken moment of madness on my stag night. “I could live with the guilt — but I didn’t even want to imagine the hurt Kerry would feel. I was very scared. Kerry was all that mattered to me. I knew I’d done wrong but I felt I’d paid the price. “I wanted to forget it had happened. Every time I looked at Kerry I felt my heart stab at the thought of losing her.” Then a few months later the couple’s world collapsed when Barker went public, alleging she had “reluctantly” had sex with Bryan after he barged into her room uninvited. She also told of the £15,000 deal. Bryan says: “I was on tour in Newcastle. Kerry was working in the Bahamas. “A bunch of fans were there. Some were crying, one was holding up a newspaper. All I saw was the headline. “As I walked back into my hotel room the phone was ringing. It was Kerry. She said, ‘Just tell me, is it true?’ “I just said, ‘Yes’. I hadn’t read the story but I didn’t want to deny that I’d done wrong. I didn’t get a chance to say anything else. Kerry said, ‘I want a divorce,’ then started screaming. The line went dead. “I tried to call back but she wouldn’t take my calls. I sat on the bed for an hour in shock. “Then I started crying. I wanted to die. I didn’t want to live without Kerry. “My room was full of people. I couldn’t see their faces. All I could see was I’d lost Kerry. “I was raging. I knew I had to go on stage. I didn’t think I could. “I remember singing Angel — it was too much. I was standing in front of 10,000 people, crying and none of it meant anything. “I didn’t want to live. Suicide seemed a reasonable option. I didn’t know how to go on. “I wasn’t left alone — couldn’t be trusted to be alone — for the next 48 hours. I was mad with grief, lashing out like a wounded animal. I remember waking and my face was being slapped. My manager, Louis Walsh, was shouting, ‘You stupid boy, what have you done?’ “And I didn’t care about anything, didn’t want to wake up and know I’d lost my Kerry.” The couple had a fraught reunion two days later after Kerry took the first flight out of the Bahamas. Bryan says: “Kerry walked into my room. I said, ‘Hit me, do what you like, just don’t leave me.’ “She wasn’t wearing her wedding ring, she wouldn’t let me touch her. She insisted I told her everything, in detail. “It went on for eight hours, over and again. I could see her hurt, it was so raw. “I told her I was going to quit the band, that I couldn’t go on if she left me. I’d have done anything to keep her.” Devastated Kerry — who was taken into care and fostered eight times as a child — veered between rage and heartbreak as she tried to come to terms with Bryan’s betrayal. She says: “The moment I saw Bryan I knew I still loved him — but I wanted him to feel the hurt he had caused me. For the first few weeks I didn’t know if I could ever forgive him. I felt someone had torn my heart out. “I couldn’t make love with Bryan — I made him sleep on the floor. I couldn’t let him touch me — I had images in my mind of him and this woman. “I wasn’t eating properly, couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t rip the pain and rage out. It ended in me having a breakdown. “I blamed myself — I kept asking if it was because I’d had our baby, Molly, and put on weight. “I didn’t want him to quit the band — I didn’t want to be blamed for that. “I remember the first time we did make love again. I cried. I told him it was because of what I saw in my head. “What we have gone through has been brutal. I’m still mad at Bryan but I have forgiven him. We have come through this more in love than ever. “But it hasn’t been easy. When I fell pregnant with Lily, just two months after I’d first discovered the betrayal, I was still unsure. “But Bryan said: ‘Maybe this is our gift, maybe this baby will help us heal.’ And he was right. “The minute Lily was born, everything seemed to come into perspective. I could feel the anger and the hurt pride and the pain melt away. “I’ve always chased a fairytale, imagined having the perfect family to make up for the one I never had. I suddenly realised life isn’t like that — it isn’t perfect and nor are people. It was like I was falling in love with Bryan again, on a deeper level.”

21/08/2003:

So can Jodi Tame Kian? (typed by *^*FiL@n'$ KiNkY JoCkEy*^* from the wl.com message board)

It was a photo opportunity any young starlet would have been proud of. There, On the front pages of every national newspaper in the country, a picture of the aspiring actress locked in an intimate embrace with one of the worlds most Famous Boyband members.
When Jodi Albert spotted waiting photographers outside the Church of St Pierre an st Paul,she seized the moment and moved in to steal the show .The stunningly pretty but little know Hollyoaks actress knew the press corps were desperate for a picture-any picture- in the absence of the real stars of the day, Nicky and Georgina.
And she didn’t disappoint, as the bride and Groom Failed to show Jodi took centre stage .Stepping forward in her candy pink mini dress and chestnut hair tumbling alluringly over her naked shoulder she took Kian by the Hand and Delivered a tantalising Kiss which lasted 10 seconds but everyone was happy, The photographers had their Picture and Jodi had pulled off a coup.
But look closer and you will notice something else-how stiff an awkward Kian appears, You don’t need a masters degree in psychology to work out what really is going on here. He may be besotted with her , But its clear that she has him wrapped around her little Finger.
Kian met Jodi while on tour Three years ago when she was in Girl thing. They quickly became mates but its not until last May at a charity soccer match that the romance blossomed, At first Kian tried to play down speculation, “We’ve been good mates for years and now we’ve started dating” he said recently, “We know each other well and I know she’s not just interested in me because I’m in Westlife”
Up until last month Kian was still adamant that the two were seeing each other casually, “Its true that’s I’ve been out with Jodi on a couple of dates but the whole thing has been blown out of proportion he claims,”We enjoy each others company and we have a lot of fun but we are taking it very slowly, Its much to early to say we’re in love but who knows where it ill go? There was a report trying to make out that we were having this big long secret relationship and we were going out with each other for months and were seriously in love I was like ‘whoa chill out’ this isn’t the way things are, sometimes things like that gets frustrating”
Kian, one of the two remaining bachelors in Westlife, Is prime target for the ruthlessly ambitious glamour models and actresses who inhabit the fashionable London social scene that he also Frequents ,Something of a Lothario himself ,he has not always picked his women wisely,So he can be forgiven the occasional flinch, the odd moment of doubt,Celebrity love, as he has discovered, often comes with a price.
Kian is a major step up into the A league for Jodi after her previous boyfriend Philip Oliver, who plays Tinhead in Channel 4 soap Brookside .But cynics would be entirely wrong to write Jodi off as yet another starlet on the make ,this time friends say its genuine.

19/08/2003:

thats what we all waited for....the hey whatever cd cover! :)

17/08/2003:

I did sleep with him...im not A LIAR and i did see him take drugs

WESTLIFE heartthrob Bryan McFadden was last night facing a sensational court battle over sex and drugs allegations. In a libel writ issued in the High Court, blonde lapdancer Amy Barker, 29, claimed the pop star... BARGED uninvited into her hotel room on his stag night just weeks before his marriage to Atomic Kitten Kerry Katona. HAD sex with her although she was reluctant. TOOK cocaine during the boozy stag do in Ireland and boasted: "We are gods". PAID for her to fly back to England where she was given a £15,000 pay-off to buy her silence. MADE her out to be a liar in a magazine article after her story emerged in The People. And in more dramatic allegations, Amy says the Westlife manager and Pop Rivals star Louis Walsh later visited her at a lapdancing club and complained that she had cost him "s***loads of money". McFadden, 23, will strongly contest the allegations from mum-of-two Amy, whose devastating writ issued on Friday will spark the biggest celebrity court battle of the year. If he loses, the action could cost the star hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages and costs. But more worrying for the dad of two would be the loss of his reputation as a squeaky-clean devoted family man. Amy, from Wakefield, West Yorks, hit the roof after McFadden gave an interview to the magazine Heat in which he poured scorn on her allegations about the stag party. Now she will fight in court to prove the star destroyed her reputation. Amy had told The People how the singer bedded her while his bride-to-be Kerry was at home nursing their baby daughter Molly. Amy and another lap dancer were hired to entertain Westlife on a coach trip from Dublin to Limerick on Bryan's stag night in October 2001. As she danced for McFadden, Amy said she had to warn him to keep his hands to himself after he became "touchy and suggestive". But once at the hotel, she said McFadden barged into her room, barely able to stand. She revealed how she was pressured into having sex with him and finally agreed. "We started off having sex and after about a minute I pulled away and performed a sex act on him," she said. "I didn't enjoy it and it was over in three minutes. He was only concerned about his own needs. "There was no feeling to it. When he finished he got up, didn't look at me, didn't say a word, and walked out." Later the star begged her not to tell a soul about what he had done. And two weeks later Amy was sitting in the London office of a top showbiz agent signing away any rights to talk about the sordid encounter for £15,000. Within weeks McFadden married Kerry, 22, in a fairytale ceremony in County Meath, Ireland. But Amy broke her contract to speak out about McFadden because she said she wanted to expose his hypocrisy. And she launched her libel battle when he told the magazine Heat that her claims were "rubbish". Asked by the magazine if Amy's version of events was true, McFadden replied: "No. All the stuff that followed was ridiculous. It was like I was watching a different world." Asked why, if he hadn't done anything wrong, he didn't speak out earlier he said: "Because it's one person' s word against another's. "You can't do anything about it. David Beckham went through it as well with Victoria when he was wrongly accused of cheating on her." And when asked if Amy was even AT his stag night he said: "It's s***. I don't want to talk about it." McFadden denied having sex with Amy, insisting: "If it were true the Westlife boys would never speak to me again." Furious Amy claims in her writ that McFadden's public insistence that it never happened destroyed her reputation and made her out to be a liar. Her writ alleges that after she perfomed lap dances for the star on the stag party coach he became "assertive and overbearing, boasting that "in Ireland we are Gods" and consuming cocaine and alcohol. She "reluctantly" had sex with him when he turned up "unannounced and univited" at her hotel room.Amy goes on to allege that the worried star later "apologised for his behaviour, expressing concern that his conduct might become public knowledge". Amy - who is also suing publishing giant Emap - claims that the Heat article dismissed her version of events and portrayed McFadden as a doting husband and dad. In the interview, McFadden says he and Kerry have always "trusted each other 100 per cent." Amy claims the article suggests she "maliciously invented" the fact that McFadden had sex with her on his stag night. Referring to the cash used to buy her silence, her libel writ asks why "Westlife were so concerned to silence the claimant that they offered her £15,000 not to mention that she had sex with the second defendant (McFadden)". The outcome of the court battle could be a turning point for McFadden's career. If he wins, the multi-millionaire will keep his image as a devoted family man. If he loses that reputation will be shattered for ever and he could end up hundreds of thousands of pounds poorer. Amy's allegation about Westlife supremo Louis Walsh is that he visited her at the Purple Door lap dance club in Leeds the month after McFadden's stag party.The writ claims that the star-maker complained she had cost him "s***loads of money".  Westlife spokesman said: "We deny all the allegations and we will defend any action made against Bryan McFadden". When The People confronted Louis Walsh over his involvement in the legal moves by Amy he denied knowing her. He said: "I've never met the woman, I never want to meet the woman. I don't know where this nightclub is. Her story is absolutely one hundred per cent untruth. "I hope you're taping this coz I know what I'm saying, it's a lie." Amy told The People: "I am extremely upset by the article, which has caused distress both to myself and my family. "I can't go into this any further because of the legal proceedings"
Top media lawyer Graham Atkins of Campbell Hooper solicitors said: "I can confirm that I have issued libel proceedings against Emap and Bryan McFadden on behalf of Amy Barker."

15/08/2003:

*** VOTE for nicky as most attractive man (hello mag)***

15/08/2003:

SET FOR A MUSICAL MUMBA

Pop beauty Samantha Mumba is set to team up with hearthrobs Westlife for a TV spectacular based on the hit musical Grease.
The top Irish acts will also team up with a host of British chart toppers, including sexy stunners Girls Aloud and Pop Idol’s Gareth Gates, for the new ITV music extravaganza.
Actress Amanda Holden is also believed to be staring in the Grease TV special, which will be aired on ITV in November.
Samantha will perform the song Look At Me I’m Sandra Dee from 1978 soundtrack, originally performed by actress Stockard Channing.
Shane Filan will step out as John Travolta’s character Danny Zuko to perform Grease Lightening with Westlife
“All acts will dress up and perform the 24 songs from the soundtrack,” said a source. “It’s going to be a hugely colourful pop fest of top acts performing one of te most popular musicals of all time. The show looks like it will also be released as an album with Polydor Records.”

Westlife will be returning to their roots to star in the show as the musical was the inspiration for forming the band.
Band members Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily first began performing together after appearing in a local presentation of Grease in Sligo in 1996.
The three helped form a band called IOU and Shane’s mother Mae managed to get them an interview with Louis Walsh.
The band was renamed Westlife by Walsh and Bryan McFadden and Nicky Byrne joined before the band was catapulted to international fame.

12/08/2003:

here they are... the nicky and gina weeding pics from the hello mag! enjoy!

09/08/2003:

Boys re-record local group's song

Downpatrick rock band Relish today told of their "surprise and delight" that Westlife are to release a re-working of their single Rainbow Zephyr. The world-famous boy band have recorded a version of the Relish track, which will be released in the UK as "Hey Whatever" on September 15. Only the title and a few lyrics in the chorus have been altered. The single will be the first release from Westlife's new album, due to hit the charts later this year.
The song is already being tipped for No 1, which will give Westlife their 12th chart-topper and raise the profile of the Downpatrick outfit. Relish drummer Karl Papenfus, who wrote the track with his brother Ken, said they were "chuffed to bits" that Westlife had chosen their track. And he said the band were "pleasantly surprised" with the result. "We had heard that Westlife were fans of our music and we knew that they had been to watch us in concert before," he said. "But when they contacted our record company EMI to express an interest in recording Rainbow Zephyr, we were surprised, but chuffed to bits. "Ken and I have worked very hard writing our songs, so to have a band like Westlife, who have notched up so many No 1s, record one of our tracks, is a major compliment. "We were told that Westlife were looking for a new direction for their next album and we are delighted that Rainbow Zephyr has been given a new lease of life." Karl said the band did not know what to expect before hearing Westlife's new version. "We wanted it to be representative of our song and when we heard it, I have to say, we were pleasantly surprised," he said. "They sing their hearts out on it and I think it's their best song to date." When Relish released Rainbow Zephyr two years ago, it charted in the Top 20 in Ireland and became something of a cult single among their followers. Karl said: "If it goes to No 1 for Westlife we'll be thrilled. "Whenever they release a song, it's guaranteed to do well." Chart success will obviously also mean big money for Relish when the royalties come rolling in. Karl said: "Money's never been our motive for being in the music industry. "We'll just be pleased that people know the name of Relish." A spokesman for Westlife's record company BMG confirmed that the Irish band are planning to release their own version of Rainbow Zephyr. "The guys liked the song and decided to record it," he said. "They changed the lyrics in the chorus and the title. It's a great song and should go to No 1."

09/08/2003

Simon Cowell has laughed off reports that Westlife have had their day. "All artists are as good as their last song," he told Popworld magazine. "You've got to make great records. Look what happened to Kylie in the middle of her career when the songs were ****. When she came back with a good record, she was a hit again." So is he saying that Westlife, who's last single Tonight only made No. 3 (a flop when you consider all their No. 1s), have been releasing dodgy tracks? "No, I'm just saying that if you give them **** records, there's no career - but we're not going to do that. Their next single is one of the best they've ever done!" Westlife's new single, Hey Whatever, is released in September. To hear it, check out the boy's website, www.westlife.co.uk!

06/08/2003

Westwife for scruffy Nicky



Getting hitched ... Westlife's Nicky

WESTLIFE heart-throb NICKY BYRNE tied the knot yesterday — scruffily dressed in a back-to-front baseball cap and a blue T-shirt. The singer wed Georgina Ahern at Wicklow Town register office, just outside Dublin. In a break with tradition, Nicky kept Georgina waiting 20 minutes. He finally turned up in an Opel Astra with his mum in the back. Nicky was talking on the phone and tried to shield his face from the crowd of fans. But they pushed forward past his heavies and surrounded the car. A star-studded reception will be held at a magnificent French chateau on Saturday. Had the couple decided on a French wedding they would have had to be resident for 40 days beforehand.

05/08/2003

Georgina Ahern, the daughter of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, is due to marry Westlife singer Nicky Byrne in a civil ceremony at a registry office in Wicklow today. Only two witnesses are expected to attend the low-key service at the Glenside Road registry office. The couple are due to hold a church wedding in France on Saturday, but under French law, they must provide a certificate saying they have already been married in a civil ceremony.

22/07/2003:

Westlife are not making a profit from their homecoming gig in Sligo. Singer Kian Egan denied claims that the band are set to make huge amounts of money from the concert this Friday.
He said: “This is not a profit-making concert. We have not come home to cash in on the people who have been loyal to us all along. This is for our home fans to enjoy.”
Kian explained how it will take up to 70 trucks to bring the show to town and 170 people to set it up.
“It’s a three day set-up and a two day take-down. All these people need to be accommodated in the town and looked after,” he said.
The first two days will be spent laying down the majority of the stage.
“The final day will see the band’s own stage get set up. It’s like a stage on another stage,” Kian explained.
Trucks began arriving at Markievicz Park last Sunday and preparations for the concert have begun.
Kian was speaking from Sheffield last Friday where the band were finishing the British leg of their Unbreakable Greatest Hits tour.
“It is great to be finishing our Greatest Hits tour in Sligo. We couldn’t have expected better.
“We won’t have a chance to meet and greet fans, there would just be too many.”
The band’s hectic tour continues as they fly to London the following morning to record their new single Hey Whatever. There are talks of filming the video in Cuba.
“We won’t be having an aftershow party in Sligo. We are all doing our own thing. I will be spending time with friends and family afterwards. It would cause mayhem if we went down town for a drink anyway.”
Kian did have this message for the fans: “It’s going to be proud day for us. We want our fans to come and really enjoy themselves. People all over the world have been asking us what Sligo is like. They often said they’d come to Sligo if we played there.
“The gig is going to be the same as what fans have seen all over the world. We are really looking forward to it.”
Meanwhile, Sligo trio the Conway Sisters were confirmed yesterday as one of the supporting acts for the concert.
This is the first outdoor concert for Sinead, Marie and Laura Conway, but it kick-starts a busy summer.
After the Westlife concert, the girls will be playing at the Rosses Point Mackerel Festival, as part of the Sligo Rocks Festival and will also be releasing their debut single to radio stations on August 7.
The girls have nearly a full album’s worth of material recorded with renowned British producer Simon Hill at his studio in London.

21/07/2003:

Westlife´s new single is called "Hey Whatever" and is in the shops on 15th September 2003... I heard its an uptempo song... Shane thinks its better than World Of Our Own so lets hope it´ll be their next number ONE!

21/07/2003:

Nicky to give lads a break on his big day

Heart throbs Westlife wont be playing at Nicky Byrnes posh wedding to Georgina Ahern next month-So they can all ”enjoy the big day”
PR girl Joanne Byrne-who’s organising the wedding said “The Westlife lads are like brothers and they all just want to enjoy the day, Its special for all of them aswel as Nicky and Georgina.The lads will want to have a few drinks and relax-it would be to hard to try and keep the sober all day to play a few songs later on”
Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle will sing hymes at the church ceremony and Ronan Keating will perform at the reception.
The couple have signed a mega-bucks deal with Hello! Magazine for exclusive photos of the day.
But Joanne rubbished reports in a Sunday paper that the deal was worth 1million
She said “I don’t know where they got the figure from,it was nearer to €500,000.”
Joanne also denied reports the couple were getting hitched in France to avoid paying tax on the Cash.
She said ”Nicky’s already made his millions, The only reason they’re getting hitched in France is because its always been their dream location for a wedding”
And she poured cold water on the stories that the wedding would cost a whopping €400,000. she said ”Im in charge so I should Know, there’s no way I would rent a marque for 100,000 as some paper claimed and the over all cost of the wedding is substantially less than €400,000.
However the Hello! Deal will save Bertie from forking out thousands of euros for his daughters bash!

14/07/2003

Westlife star Nicky Byrne admits the band will never crack America ... because they are blacklisted by US radio stations. In an amazing interview, a seething Nicky revealed it's not because radio bosses don't like their music, but because they don't like the Westlife image. He explained: "We could give them some of our new stuff from our new album and radio won't play it. We've proved it. "We sent over a CD of World Of Our Own with no name on it. They didn't know it was Westlife and every single radio station in the States - whether it be LA, New York or any of the smaller ones in the Mid-West or wherever - all came back and said that this is an absolutely huge hit. "They said it was great for radio and people are gonna love it, especially as there's just a slight bit of rock guitar to it. "But as soon as we revealed it was Westlife, the radio pluggers all went ... `whoa, not Westlife - no way, it's a boy band'. And we cannot break that down, no matter what song we come out with. "If Bono wrote a song with us tomorrow and it was the biggest hit in the world, if Westlife's name is put to it, it won't be a hit in America because radio will not play us."

So why does Nicky reckon America has such a downer on him, Shane Filan, Bryan McFadden, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily? He said: "The problem with America is that it's all radio and you've got to break into radio first. "And currently radio doesn't want to play boy bands or pop music - I think Britney, Christina and *NSYNC were the last pop acts to break the States." However, all that will be forgotten from tonight when the famous five will entertain 48,000 fans at Glasgow's SECC, over five shows, including an extra matinee performance on Saturday to make up for a night off on Friday. Then they'll take the Unbreakable tour to the AECC in Aberdeen for two nights next week.

The boys will be belting out all their greatest hits - and Kian hopes the fans enjoy it as much as the band are currently enjoying what they're doing. He said: "The whole Westlife buzz for me is on a major high at the minute. We're getting on brilliantly well. We're not even bickering - we're past that stage." Although it's a greatest hits show, a highlight could be new song Beg To Be With You. The cover version has been a highlight of the tour so far and features Kian and Bryan. Kian said: "There's an acoustic set in the show. It's like a 20-minute set where me and Bryan sit down and play guitar. We just sing five songs. "It's gone down really well on the tour, so we're gonna put it on the next album, which we're recording now."

Source: Daily Record

04/07/2003

WESTLIFE PLAN G.A.A PARK LARK

POP Stars Westlife have revealed they're planning a huge concert for next year. the band hope to play in front of 75,000 fans in Croke Park next year - their biggest ever Irish concert. "we're going ahead with plans for a concert in croke park next year," said Westlife boss louis walsh. "we'hoped to do it this year but da G.A.A didnt want to hold any more concerts there after hosting the Special Olympics events," he added.

PLANS!
Plans for westlife's first croke park concert in ireland begins after the band sold out two nights in Lansdowne Rd.
the band performed in front of a total of 80,000 fans on friday and saturday. "we realise its time to move to da next stage," Walsh said. "Last year, they sold out 13 shows at the Point, this year they sold out two dates at Lansdowne Road.

BAND PLAY BIGGEST GIG

"Next year we're going for da biggest venue of all. "It is a dream come true for da guys to perform in croke park. We're talking to promoters MCD about the event," he added. Westlife made concert history with U2 and Robbie Williams as the only artists ever to sell out two dates at Lansdowne Road. Artists like Michael Jackson and Oasis have played at the venue - but havent managed to sell out two successive concerts. The band celebrated their success with a party in exclusive Dublin nightclub, Spy, wit family and friends. Some of the band were also spotted in celeb club Lillie's Bordello, later that nite. The pop group have begun recording their next studio album - which they have said will be their most adventurous to date.

02/02/2003

Just to let you know... This news isn´t very important but i wanted to inform you... It´s true, Nicky has braces now... Just look on the pic...

02/07/2003
Kian reveals Westlife split fears (Rick Fulton)


TLIFE reckon they've still got at least two years and two albums in them before they call it a day. The five - Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Bryan McFadden, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily - have constantly had to answer rumours they're splitting. And Bryan's claim they wouldn't last five years, which had fans in meltdown in 2001, has not been forgotten now they've got four- and-a-half years behind them. But, ahead of their huge five-night Scots run at the SECC next week, they are keen to reassure fans. Kian said: "Personally, I don't feel like I need to think about three years' time. I'm just gonna take it day by day. "But I love being in Westlife and I can see us lasting for another two or three years anyway. "The new album we're making is sounding fantastic. I feel that it's the best album we're ever gonna make." Shane added: "We've all made a few quid. We have our houses and all that sort of stuff. It's not like we're dreaming of things any more. But, at the moment, we're more together as a band than we've ever been. We're gonna make the next album and, the way we look at it is, if that does well, we'll probably make another. I'd like to be able to enjoy it for a few more years. After that, it's hard to know." Nicky admitted the band had been close to splitting up before - but their friendship always kept them together. He said: "We could easily have split up loads of times, especially if we believed what the papers said. "But some people seem to think we won the lottery and that we don't deserve what we have. I'm sure there are better singers in Ireland. I'm sure there are better-looking people in Ireland or anywhere else for that matter. "We were the five boys in the right place at the right time, but I do believe we've made it last because of the work that we have put in and because of the bond we share." The Irish boy band have certainly left their mark. Westlife are the only group whose first seven singles have gone to No.1, starting with 1999's debut single, Flying Without Wings. Their 11th chart-topper was Unbreakable. While Bryan, Mark and Shane surely have solo careers in the bag, Kian already knows he won't be a singer long-term.
He hopes to stay in the music industry, but more as a manager or tour manager. He said: "I already do a lot of the day-to-day stuff. I'd be on the phone to the record company all the time, you know, getting everybody's opinion, making sure that we get what we need. "And there's the show. I was very, very involved in the show - with the stage, with some of the tricks and effects and all that kinda stuff, even the set list. "I've been very personally involved in all of that." For now, it seems they can't get enough Scots adoration as they bask in their status as No 1 boy band. They were in Scotland in May for two nights and, just weeks later, they're back again. Starting Tuesday, they'll wow around 48,000 fans at the SECC over five nights from July 8-13, with an extra matinee performance on Saturday, July 12, to make up for a night off on Friday, July 11. They are also thinking about having another crack at America - but on their "own terms". The boys are now working on their fourth studio album. Bosses at label BMG have no release date for them up until October, but we reckon they may release it in November. Robbie Williams did it with Escapology, which went on to become the biggest- selling album of 2002. As for solidarity, Bryan said: "There's never been anybody who's gone through what Westlife have gone through. "Boyzone were obviously big at the time, but even that can't compare to us. When Boyzone started off they were a real boy band. "They had the dancing and roses and white clothes and all that. We were always that bit slicker. "It's not really dodgy for a fella to say he likes Westlife, but if a fella liked a Boyzone song, it was like saying you're gay. We got rid of that tag straight away."

30/06/2003

Irish band Westlife were among the wide range of groups and entertainers performing at the Closing Ceremony of 2003 Special Olympic World Summer Games in Croke Park on June 29. Photo credit: Brendan Moran

26/06/2003

BRYAN McFADDEN was quizzed by cops after failing to pull over after speeding in his Ferrari. The WESTLIFE singer was driving back to his hotel in Belfast after a gig when he was clocked breaking the limit and running a red light in his bright yellow Ferrari Spider Modena 360. But despite police chasing him with their blue lights flashing, Bryan — who was at the wheel of his £190,000 motor — failed to stop. He only came to a standstill when he got back to the five-star Culloden Hotel where the band, who had a huge hit with Flying Without Wings, were staying during the Northern Ireland leg of their World Tour. After going up to his room, Bryan was ordered back down to reception where he received a ticking off from officers. He escaped with an official warning, claiming he had not seen the police trying to pull him over. A source close to the singer said: “All of the lads like to drive themselves home whenever they can. “Bryan was with one of his minders in the Ferrari and decided to see what the car could do. At some point he raced past a police car and through a red light. “The cops tried to pull him over but he didn’t see them. He just didn’t know they were trying to pull him over. He got the fright of his life when he was told the police were waiting for him in reception. “They gave him a right telling off and he apologised.” A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed: “We issued advice and a warning to a motorist at 11pm on Tuesday in Belfast’s Holywood area.” A Westlife spokesman said: “There are thousands of screaming fans outside every venue they play. “In the interests of safety, the lads try to make as quick a getaway as possible. “The police understood the situation and let Bryan off with a warning. They told him to drive more carefully in the future. He was very apologetic.” Bryan isn’t the only member of Westlife with a Ferrari. NICKY BYRNE owns a red Ferrari 575 while SHANE FILAN has an identical black model. All are thinking of selling the racers because they seldom get a chance to drive them. Westlife — which also includes KIAN EGAN and MARK FEEHILY — performed the last of eight gigs at Belfast’s Odyssey Arena last night. The band move on to Dublin later this week before performing in Newcastle, Glasgow and Sheffield next month.

20/06/2003:

With a new album in the pipeline, Westlife has warned fans to prepare themselves for a change in musical direction. The Irish boyband have not made a studio album since World Of Our Own in 2001, and in the two years since they've come up with plenty of ideas about new things they would like to try in the studio. Heart throb Nicky Byrne, who is set to marry childhood sweetheart Georgina Ahern in the summer, says, "I don't think there's any point in making another album if we're not going to change a little." And bandmate Mark Feehily adds, "At the end of the day it's pop music and pop is meant to change all the time. We're not getting bored yet, but if we did the same stuff for another album I think we would. Change is important, both for us and the fans. We're not going to become a rock band but it's going to be exciting." Promising the fans a great new album - hopefully in time for Christmas - Nicky adds, "The music is only going to get better. We haven't made an album in almost two years now, so we haven't been experimenting in the studio for ages and we're really hungry for it. We want to set that fire ablaze again."

15/06/2003

Amanda can't cut it with Kian
By Rav

POOR Amanda Holden may be a bit of a sort...but I know one Westlife lad who isn't so Kian on the Cutting It star.
Amanda, 32, tried to pull millionaire boyband singer KIAN EGAN when she spotted him at London's Rouge.
She asked one of the Westlife minders if Kian would join her table.
Always the gentleman, 23-year-old Kian agreed.
Old
As soon as he sat down, Amanda started flirting wildly, swishing her blonde hair and fluttering her eyelashes.
One onlooker told me: "It was obvious she fancied him and was trying to pull him, but he didn't fall for it.
"She was trying to make him laugh and pretending not to know which band he was in.
"But Kian didn't fancy her at all. She's a bit too old for him to be honest. I mean the age gap between them is nearly ten years.
"Kian has women falling at his feet all the time who are much younger and fitter.
"He told the rest of the band she wasn't his type and Amanda tried hitting on him but he didn't want to know."
Two months ago the News of the World revealed that Amanda had an affair with Danish pop singer Thomas Barsoe while she was still married to Les Dennis.
Like Thomas, Kian is blonde and about 10 years her junior.

28/05/2003:

ROD’S ‘LIFE WORK: Stewart teams up with lads

Westlife are teaming up with Rod Stewart to reinvigorate both their careers. The Irish boyband will head into the studio soon to record a duet with young-at-heart Rod. He gets exposed to a younger audience and Westlife cement their appeal to older fans-which they need to do to sustain a long career. The team plan to release the track in time for the Christmas No.1 spot. Westlife and Rod have become good mates over the past few years thought their love of football. The strutting rocker and the lads have met up at Celtic matches and also at the annual Celebrity Soccer Six tournament. In recent weeks they decided to get together away from the pitch and head into the studio. Westlife’s manager Louis Walsh revealed the plans exclusively to The Star. He said, “Yes we’re definitely going to do a duet with Rod. It’s an exciting project. It will be Westlife’s release for the Christmas market this year. “Everyone’s agreed to it. Now we just need to free up the time to head into the studio when Westlife finish their current tour.” Louis hinted the track will be a cover of a classic tune. The closet member of Westlife to Rod is Nicky Byrne. He and Rod both had a shot at becoming professional footballers before packing it in for showbiz.

28/05/2003:

NICKY AND GEORGINA OPT FOR AUGUST IN PARIS

Westlife star Nicky Byrne and fiancée Georgina Ahern are to marry in romantic Paris on the weekend of August 8. The couple, who recently confirmed The Star’s revelations that they are to host their fairytale wedding in France, have been keeping the date, location and venue under wraps. However, we can reveal that Nicky and the Taoiseach’s daughter fell for a dream property in Paris and will marry on the second weekend of August. However, even the couple’s closest friends and family are being kept in the dark about the exact wedding venue as the couple have signed a E750,000 deal for exclusive coverage of their big day from a celebrity magazine. “All we’ve been told is that we’re flying to Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris and that there’ll be a bus to pick us up there,” said a source. The couple had originally though about a summer wedding.

25/05/2003:

results of the viva (german tv channel) boyband vote: westlife are the best!! 52,5%voted them... 40,9% of the votes were for blue and 6,6% for b2k... okay... you also have to know that you only could vote for this three bands... (source: bryissosweet)

22/05/2003:

to all you guys who watched the hit show yesterday on rtl... (ya know the most sóld sigles in germany ever...).. westlife are also in the list (from 1 to 2000)... the are... only number 1747 with their version of "uptown girl"... they were three weeks in the german top ten with that song... (source: rtlmusic.de, bryissosweet)

22/05/2003

Nicky is No.11 at the Most Attractive Men On Hello! Magazine 2002
1. Colin Firth
2. Will Young
3. George Michael
4. Kiefer Sutherland
5. Russell Crowe
6. Alex Sibley
7. Darius Danesh
8. Hugh Grant
9. Prince William
10. David Beckham
11. Nicky Byrne
12. Enrique Iglesias

11/05/2003

Busty pop wife Kerry Katona say's she want's her millionaire Westlife husband Bryan McFadden to quit....and take a job in McDonalds.
The blonde bombshell misses the singer because he tours so much and would sacrifice the millions and the mansion to have him home.
And instead of belting out hits with the other members of the Irish band, she would rather see him flipping burgers.
Speaking on ITV's Loose Women she said "I don't care about money because i've been skint.
"If I'm in love with somebody I don't care if they're a millionaire or a beggar on the street.
"I have sat and cried and gone "Why can't you just work in McDonalds?" I'd rather have him with me rather than away all the time."

22/04/2003:

Westlife's Nicky Byrne and his fiancé Georgina Ahern will marry in a fairytale wedding in France this summer. Nicky and the Taoiseach's daughter Georgina have been secretly making plans to marry in the south of France in August. Invitations to friends and family will be sent out in the next ten days to enable guests to book their flights to the sun. Nicky and Georgina have not yet decided on the venue for their dream wedding, according to the spokesperson, but are considering properties along the Cote D'Azur. "Georgina and her mother, Miriam, have been out there looking at various possibilities and she and Nicky have also looked over some hotels and properties but they haven't yet made a final decision," she said. Nicky and Georgina- who announced their engagement at Christmas-originally planned to have their wedding in Ireland. "They looked at a couple of properties they liked including Luttrellstown Castle, Powerscourt and Kilshane House in Tipperary," she said. But they decided they didn't want to wait till next year to get married. "It's impossible to get even the church that you want in Ireland within a year. They've been together a long time and don't need an extended engagement to get to know each other. "They decided 'let's do it now'. That's when they decided to go ahead and get married in France"
The couple first fell in love with France after accompanying Georgina's dad Bertie Ahern to the World Cup in 1998. "They've been back so many times since and they love the country," said the spokesperson. "France is also a fairly ideal location for them because it possibly the only country in Europe in which Westlife don't have a massive profile. "They are more likely to have the privacy they want there" "Georgina's sister, Cecilia will be her chief bridesmaid and Nicky's younger brother Adam will be in the grooms party. "Details like this still have to be ironed out so I don't know who Nicky's best man is going to be yet," said the spokesperson. "I know all of the members of Westlife will be invited but I don't think any of them will be part of the grooms party"
Though the wedding will be held in the South of France, the spokesperson said the affair will still be a big Irish wedding. "It's going to be a big family and friends affair with no politicians or a list of celebrities," she said" Nicky is very friendly with some of the lads from the Irish soccer team who will be invited and of course, all of Westlife will be there but that will be it. "It's a big Irish wedding that will taking place in a country that they love." Georgina, who is a business graduate, is talking to several designers about her wedding dress- and is adamant that it will be made by an Irish designer. Nicky and Georgina celebrated their eight anniversary as a couple on October 8th.

20/04/2003:

Westlife won an award at the TMF AWARDS yesterday... here you can see some pics...

        

12/04/2003

SETLIST

GREATEST HITS TOUR 2003

01. When You're Looking Like That
02. If I Let You Go
03. Tonight
04. Flying Without Wings
05. My Love
06. Bop Bop Baby
07. Queen Of My Heart
08. Be With You - Mr Big
09. Medley Section
10. Fool Again
11. Swear It Again
12. Seasons In The Sun
13. Unbreakable
14. Encore section

for all of you who wanna sing mr bigs song with westlife, here are the lyrics:

Hold on little girl
show me what he's done to you
Stand up little girl
A broken heart can't be that bad
when it's through, it's through
Fate will twist the both of you
So come on baby come on over
Let me be the one to show you
CHORUS:
I'm the one who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you
Build up your confidence
So you can be on top for once
Wake up who cares about
Little boys that talk too much
I seen it all go down
Your game of love was all rained out
So come on baby, come on over
Let me be the one to hold you
CHORUS
Why be alone when we can be together baby
You can make my life worthwile
and I can make you start to smile

06/04/2003

As the tour gets ever closer, the first snippets of info on what the sets and and outfits are going to include are being released...
Westlife's unstoppable, Unbreakable Greatest Hits tour kicks off in Cardiff at the CIA on 13th April, 2003. The Unbreakable Greatest Hits Tour is all fired up and ready to roll with 62 fantastic live shows visiting 11 different countries over the next 3 months of the European leg alone. Westlife's live shows are always truly incredible and the Unbreakable Greatest Hits tour is no exception.This year Westlife have taken the live experience to a new level with an earth buckling futuristic sci-fi stage, spectacular pyrotechnics and lighting effects and of course hit after massive hit, including the latest smash Tonight and all eleven UK number singles, including Unbreakable, World Of Our Own, Flying Without Wings and Fool Again. The Unbreakable: Greatest Hits show will have more than a few surprises up its sleeve so watch out for Andy Warhol inspired comic book and pop art projections, Ocean's Eleven style cool, direct from Las Vegas, Mission Impossible inspired Sci-fi stunts and Westlife getting raw and Unplugged. The Unbreakable: Greatest Hits tour is the bands biggest production to date with a staggering £4.5 million stage design. The show is being produced by none other than Will Baker and Alan Macdonald, Kylie's creative directors who were responsible for Kylie's breathtaking Fever tour. Westlife have sold a staggering 30 million albums worldwide, with their latest album Unbreakable: Greatest Hits vol 1 having sold more than a million copies. Unbreakable: The Greatest Hits tour is all ready to roll so Watch out as the Westlife hit a town near you...

31/03/2003:

Here is WESTLIFE’s KIAN EGAN looking, er, tired and emotional, as he fell out of London club Click at 6.30am yesterday.
An onlooker said: “He was led out of the back door to a waiting cab. He had no idea where he was."

24/03/2003:

THE lardy WESTLIFE lads have been ordered to lose weight, get fit – and cut down on the booze and fags.Manager LOUIS WALSH has told the band they must shape up for their forthcoming Greatest Hits tour — or risk wheezing on stage like a bunch of old, fat blokes.His quest to get the boys back in condition comes after he saw my snaps of them in Bizarre last week looking beered up and bloated.The pictures showed how five years at the top have taken their toll on the once lithe, young teenagers — turning them into chubby, chain-smoking boozers.Former Popstars: The Rivals judge and ex-Boyzone manager Louis says Westlife — who have had 11 No1s including Fool Again — have got to cut back if they want to retain their title of Europe’s best boyband.Louis told me: “They’re great lads who enjoy a bit of a drink.“I can’t complain about that too much because they work hard and play hard. But this tour is going to be their most adventurous yet and they need to be in tip-top condition. “We can’t afford to have them wheezing around on stage. I’ve told them to get back into shape.“They all earn their money through hard work but I don’t want them turning into LIAM GALLAGHER just yet.” But Louis, who put the Irish band together in 1998, is confident the boys — who are all in their early-twenties — are going to get rid of their bulges in time.

Lardy ... last week's story

He said: “By the time the fans see them at the start of their tour I will have made sure they are lean, mean singing and dancing machines.“Westlife have still got a lot of records to sell before they’re done so they’ve got to stay on top of their game. They know that as well as me.”The Guinness-loving lads, whose last single Unbreakable hit the top spot in November, have been enjoying boozy benders over the past few months.They have been regularly snapped falling out of nightclubs in the early hours of the morning.BRYAN McFADDEN has been leading the charge, downing pints of Guinness and dragging on cigarettes. But SHANE FILAN, KIAN EGAN, NICKY BYRNE and MARK FEEHILY have also been getting podgy on the pints.Their new single, Tonight, is out today so the boys will be putting a lot of energy into promoting it, as well as getting fit for the gigs. The four-month Greatest Hits tour kicks off on April 13 at Cardiff International Arena.

22/03/2003:Westlife talking ´bout "TONIGHT" (you have to wait ca. 1 min till you can hear the vioces of the boys... it works!)

*SHANE*

*BRYAN*

*NICKY*

*MARK*

*KIAN*

21/03/2003:

Westlife´s "Tonight" are only number 47 in next weeks German charts... Next mondy their single is out in UK... So go and buy a copy... If "tonight" goes to number one, it´ll be their 12th Uk number one... To all Germans out there.. Westlife are on German telly this saturday and sundy ( bravo super show 2003, RTL)...

08/03/2003

Westlife didn´t win the "best pop act" award at the bravo super show 2003. they were nominated with Natural and the No Angels (the winners)... Don´t be sad.. Here are some really nice pics!

   

05/03/2003

Westlife are best pop act at the METEOR MUSIC AWARDS!

26/02/2003 (mail me if ya can´t see the pics)

HERE is the world’s biggest boy-band swapping it all to become unknown singing cowboys. Westlife’s Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Nicky Byrne donned Stetsons, leather boots and checked shirts after jetting out to the country and western mecca of Nashville, Tennessee, for a BBC1 telly special. In the show, Swapping Notes, the Irish lads had just a day to learn to sing C&W before they had to convince an audience at Nashville’s famous Wild Horse Saloon that they were a genuine country act.

But they did have one of the best teachers available, getting tips from legend Kenny Rogers, 64. They learned some of his classic hits — and even tried their hand at line dancing before having to take to the stage in front of a crowd who had no idea who the lads were. We won’t spoil it by telling you how they got on but Shane, 23, said: “Performing with Kenny Rogers was a dream come true. Thankfully, he was very patient with us but we picked things up quickly anyway.”

 

Nicky, 24, admitted: “The hardest thing was learning the line dance steps, it wasn’t exactly what we are used to.” And Mark, 22, said: “Performing at the Wild Horse Saloon was amazing, I reckon it was one of the most memorable experiences of my career so far.” The band’s Bryan McFadden, 22, missed last month’s trip as wife Kerry was giving birth to Lily Sue, a sister for 17-month-old Molly. A second Swapping Notes show will follow opera singer Russell Watson as he tries to become a rock star.

21/02/2003
Westlife fans will be pleased to here that the band are categorically not
splitting up.
Westlife are currently working hard promoting their new single 'Tonight' which
is released on St Patricks day(17th March,2003) and are preparing for their
Unbreakable Worldtour which kicks off in Cardiff on 13th April.
Shane Filan said:
"Westlife are definitely not splitting up, were looking forward to starting
rehearsals for the tour and we will be recording a brand new album this summer,
so everything is fantastic"

Shane wants out of top boy band (21/02/2003) 

They've lasted longer than anyone thought possible but we can reveal that Westlife are on the verge of splitting. The crisis - which was serious enough to keep the band away from last night's Brits - came following the sacking of tour manager Anto Byrne. Shane Filan told bandmembers Kian Egan, Bryan McFadden, Nicky Byrne and Mark Feehily that if Anto weren't reinstated he'd quit. But insiders say 22-year-old Kian - who masterminded the sacking - is refusing to budge, despite pleas from Shane and Bryan. "Shane's not a happy man," our source insists. "He's told the rest of the lads that he's totally fed up. "There were already simmering tensions in the band but when Anto was forced out, it was the last straw for Shane. He made his feelings clear at a showdown. "And although they won't admit it in public, Shane has said that they've crossed the line and it's time to call it a day. "There is a lot of animosity within the group now and morale is at an all-time low. "When Shane walks out, they've lost their lead singer. It's like Boyzone without Ronan Keating - it just won't work." "Everyone behind the scenes is wroking flat out to heal the rift."Shane, who was allegedly offered a £6million solo deal last year, is considering going it alone. Meanwhile Bryan, 22, who has two daughters with wife, former Atomic Kitten star Kerry Katona, is also making plans for a back-up career. The group have enjoyed incredible success since they burst on to the pop scene four years ago. They have had an amazing 11 No1 singles and have sold 25 million records worldwide. In December they suprised fans by releasing a greatest hits album but insisted they had no plans to go their separate ways. "Best of" collections have been the death knell of many a pop act - remember Take That and Steps? The lads are trying to paper over the cracks for their 32-date tour which starts in April and finishes in July. A friend of Shane reveals: "He was incredibly angry about the whole thing and like many other people believes this is the beginning of the end. "He loves all his bandmates with all his heart but when fighting starts like this it's time to call it a day. "He's had a few days to calm down now but he's still furious about the whole thing. It's not looking good." There have even been suggestions that Westlife announce their break up officially after they play Dublin's Lansdowne Road stadium at the end of June. "It would be the perfect time for them to bow out," says a pal. "But they're still hoping it's not too late to kiss and make up. "But performing their biggest-ever shows at Lansdowne could be the big final curtain." Last night a spokesman said: "Yes, Anto was sacked but Westlife are not splitting up."

Westlife cisis??? (20/02/2003)
WESTLIFE'S future was in crisis last night after they sacked tour manager "sixth member" Anto Byrne after a bitter feud. Anto was given his marching orders after a two-month power struggle with the boy band's unofficial spokesman Kian Egan. The rest of the group - Shane Filan, Bryan McFadden, Nicky Byrne and Mark Feehily - are torn between the two men. Anto refused to comment last night. But a source said: "This could be the beginning of the end for Westlife."Some of the lads are furious that he has been given the boot - others within the group were plotting the move." He added: "Everyone knows Anto was the man who guided Westlife to the top and was with them every step of the way." Anto was sent packing on Monday after a secret meeting. Minutes earlier Kian had phoned him to cancel his interviews promoting Westlife's new album. He will take over until a successor is picked. But bosses at their record label BMG are said to be furious. They fear the band will fall apart just as the Spice Girls did after they sacked Simon Fuller in 1997. One said: "Westlife are falling apart at the seams. "When someone who is associated with the band so strongly is given the boot, it's an indication all is not well. "This is a catastrophe for Westlife though because Anto was as important as any member of the band." Westlife praised Anto on the credits of their Greatest Hits Album just four months ago. They wrote: "To Anto Byrne our tour manager, thank you for putting up with us 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

18/02/2003:

Kitten dumps boyband boyfriend ( i dunno if it´s true *bryissosweet*)
10.41AM GMT, 18 Feb 2003
Atomic Kitten's Liz McLarnon is reported to have dumped her Westlife boyfriend Kian Egan - despite the fact that he lavished flowers and chocolates on her on Valentine's Day.They blame their hectic work schedules for the failure of the relationship.Not that Kian didn't try - he sent his fav Kitten 100 red roses, luxury chocolates and £200 bottles of champagne on February 14.But a source close to the Westlife star said: "Although it was her decision, both parties are very upset that things didn't work out."Liz, 21, and Kian, 22, met after a former Westlife bouncer began dating fellow Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton.But the pair were only a couple for two months. A spokesman for both McLarnon and Egan said: "Both of them are very upset about this, although the relationship was never that serious."They are both very busy with work and hardly have time for anything else."

08/02/2003: here´s the first pic of kian and liz! wahey! aren´t they a nice couple? 

07/02/2003

more news ´bout kian and liz

The burgeoning pop love between Liz McClarnon and Kian Egan has been fuelled by the Westlife singer's respect for the Atomic Kitten's massive intelligence. The Irishman has been enthusing about the sexy singer's superior intellect and is excited by the prospect of their fledgling love.

A source says, "Kian keeps telling everyone how intelligent she is. It's sweet. He really missed her when she was away with the rest of the band recently. Liz isn't some star-struck groupie. She is a successful and ambitious woman who knows what the industry is like."

Kian himself says his new relationship has its roots in their first meeting some time ago. He explains, "I first met Liz four years ago, when we did the Smash Hits Tour with Atomic Kitten. We were friends for a long time."

"Shane (Filan, Westlife bandmate) and I had a party in Belfast together on New Year's Eve. Liz happened to be out there and came along. We didn't get together then. It was a bit later than that. But we talked to each other for ages. Now she has just come back from Asia, where she was touring with the band. I haven't planned anything for Valentine's Day yet. I will though!" (WENN)

06/02/2003

Liz loves Kian (taken from popworld.com)

There must be something in the water at the moment because two more pop stars have gone all loved-up on us. Liz Atomic Kitten and Kian Westlife have finally come clean and admitted that they are dating and are very happy indeed about it. The couple got together just a few weeks ago but have been good friends for over four years. Liz went to Kian and Shane’s New Year’s Eve party in Belfast but, according to Kian, they started dating a little while after that. Liz is pleased as punch about her new fella and told a newspaper, “ Kian is really lovely. It’s early days and we are both really happy. Let’s just wait and see what happens.” Fingers crossed it works out for the pair.

06/02/2003

Westlife are third in the list of the most albums sold in Britain since 1998 
TOP TEN

1 Robbie Williams: 9.7 million
2 The Corrs: 5.8 million
3 Westlife: 5.1 million
4 Madonna: 5 million
5 The Beatles: 4.7 million
6 Steps: 4.4 million
7 Shania Twain; 4.1 million
8 U2: 4 million
9 Travis: 3.9 million
10: Stereophonics: 3.7 million

28/01/2003: more nicky on the catwalk pics:

 

28/01/2003: pics from childline 2003

    

26/01/2003

In an interview which will be screened on cd:uk, the lovely Nicky Byrne admitted that the band's music isn't quite what it used to be. Amazingly, when the Irish boys were asked if they're surprised that they weren't nominated for a Brit award, Nicky, 24, replied: "To be honest with you, I think they're right. I don't think we deserve to be nominated this year." We beg your pardon? "I don't think our singles have been as good as they have been over the past two years," the blond singer continued. "And I think Will Young or Blue deserve it more."Extraordinary. Perhaps Mr Byrne is hoping it'll help Westlife avoid trouble.You may remember that his naughty bandmate Bryan McFadden got so drunk at last year's event that not only did he get pulled out of a live TV interview by boss Simon Cowell, he even started a fight with the 21-strong So Solid Crew. Westlife were then banned from their own label's after-show party. We can't wait to see if no nominations equals no bad behaviour. Somehow, with the amount of booze usually involved, we think not... (taken from the mirror)

24/01/2003:

The papers have been full of reports that Liz put on a sexy dance display for Kian at London club Click. According to spies, the two singers were partying at a nightclub owned by the hubby of Atomic Kitten's Tasha, when they put on a major flirting display. An onlooker blabbed to newspapers, "The spark between them was amazing. At one point Kian was sat down while Liz was writhing around him. It certainly seemed to turn him on. They left after a couple of hours. However, as soon as the raunchy rumours began circulating, the pop pair were on the phone to Sneak to rubbish the story." "God, what a load of nonsense!" said Liz, laughing. "I've known Kian for ages because of Bryan and Kerry." And Kian told Sneak, "There's no truth in it. We've been friends for ages but that's all." Sneak reckons it's no surprise Kian and Liz are such good buddies and if there was any flirting, well, they're both single so why not!?

18/01/2003:Nicky and Shane changed their styles, too... heres a pic of nicky shanes hair is shorter now...

16/01/2003: IT looks like WESTLIFE’s MARK FEEHILY took wishing for a white Christmas too far.Mark dyed his barnet blond while in Ireland for the festive holiday.He told me: “I got bored with my old hairstyle and I fancied a change.“The other lads have been giving me a bit of stick but they’re getting used to it.”Mark and bandmates BRYAN McFADDEN, SHANE FILAN, NICKY BYRNE and KIAN EGAN were in London yesterday shooting the video for their new single Tonight — out on March 10.
 

 

14/01/2003

HE'S SO KIAN ON HIS NEW KITTEN

SHE split from her long-term boyfriend last year. But it looks like Liz McClarnon, 21, is feeling Whole Again thanks to Westlife's Kian Egan.

Friends claim Atomic Kitten's Liz and the Irish hunk have become "very close" over the past few months and when they went to London's Click club on Saturday night the attraction was obvious. The pair were with fellow kitten Natasha Hamilton and her fiance Fran Cosgrove to celebrate a friend's birthday - but they only had eyes for each other. As both chatted happily to friends in the VIP section they never took their eyes off each other and Liz danced sexily while looking suggestively at Kian, 22. A source revealed: "The spark between them was amazing. At one point Kian was sat down while Liz was writhing around him and she certainly seemed to turn him on. They left after a couple of hours." Liz split with her fiance Tommy Hibbs last year after nearly five years together. Kian also split with his girlfriend Jessica Forsman. The two bands have always been great friends and we hope this one works out.

12/01/2003

WESTLIFE hunk BRYAN McFADDEN is hoping to notch up another number one hit - this time as a songwriter. The portly singer has spent a week in the studio with British talent show winners GIRLS ALOUD and has impressed all around him with his songwriting skills. Irish impresario LOUIS WALSH, who manages both GIRLS ALOUD and WESTLIFE has been so pleased with McFadden's efforts that he wants him to write more tracks for the sexy girl group. Walsh says, "He's been in the studio writing and recording with them all week. "I've listened to everything they've come up with. Everyone's favourite track is called GIRLS ALOUD. "It's an up-tempo number which I'd best describe as sounding like an early SPICE GIRLS track. And luckily for the BOP BOP BABY hitmaker it seems certain he will be kept busy when the Irish chart toppers do eventually call it a day. Louis adds, "Bryan's a great pop writer. The guy lives for his music. He's definitely got a career as a songwriter behind him when Westlife comes to an end."

09/01/2003From J17 mag:

New wig for westlife boy!
He may look like a leader of fashion, but I can exclusively reveal that Nicky Byrne from Westlife is stealing his new ‘look’ from Craig ‘Ooooh, baaaybeeee’ David. When I caught up with Nicky at a recent party, he told me he’s planning a brand new barnet to surprise his fans. And surprise them he will. “I’m fed up of being told I look like David Beckham,” moaned Nicky. “So I’ve decided I’m going to get it all plaited down the middle – like Craig David used ti have. And you know what? I might even get a few extensions.” We at J17 aren’t convinced. I mean, if you could look like either Craig David or David Becks, you’d go for Craig every time wouldn’t you? Erm, wouldn’t you?

07/01/2003

Westlife Join the Irish Rich List...

Who says being in a boyband is a mugs game? Well not the lads from Westlife as they each pulled in a cool million euros each last year... Nice work if you can get it!

But the real winner in the cash stakes is their manager Louis Walsh who netted 2M euros last year from his various ventures.

Even The Cranberries who don't do much these days got around 1/4 of a million each. But the real heavy weights in this division are U2 with each member pocketing 8M euros a piece.

But stand back with your mouth a-gasped as Lord of the Rings theme tune singer Enya earned a sensational 36 million euros last year!!! She can easily buy a couple more castles with that...

04/01/2003

Festive feelings of goodwill don't last very long in showbiz just
ask Westlife. Insiders tell me that the relations between the boys
are now so bad that there barely talking to one another. The situation
was arisen because members of the group feel that manager Louis Walsh
is trying to ease singer Shane Filan away from the others. When
Boyzone were at there peak Louis encouraged Ronan Keatin to plan his
solo career. The others were effectively left high and dry and
they've never forgiven Ronan or Louis for splitting the band. Now
Shane is spending most of his spare time in a London recording studio
working on solo material with the full blessing and encouragement of
Louis. One source says Bryan and mark are so concerned at the
situation that they are no longer speaking to Shane whom Louis feels is the most talented and most likely to have a future away from the
others. Westlife haven't released a Christmas single and the current
bad feeling should make a pleasant atmosphere during their tour next
may if they last that long... happy New Year boys.

30/12/2002

Westlife star Shane Filan is to marry his long-term girlfriend Gillian Walsh, dotmusic can report.The singer, currently on a break from the band following a bout of glandular fever, is said to have popped the question over two weeks ago whilst on holiday in Dubai. The couple, who have been together for two years, told their parents the news on Christmas Day."It was like having 50 number one records all in one go," Shane told the News Of The World."We had dinner at the Royal Meridian hotel where we were staying, then went for a walk on the beach."We were lying on some deckchairs and Gillian was saying how amazing the stars looked, so I pulled out the ring and said, "What do you think of this star?""She grabbed it off me, then I went down on one knee and said, "Will you marry me? - Gillian screamed, said yes and started crying, hugging and kissing me."Fellow Westlife singer, Nicky Byrne recently announced his engagement to long-term partner Georgina Ahern - the daughter of Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern."Two Westlife weddings next year and a tour is gonna be crazy," said Shane. "But the band will not be splitting up. Getting married won't change Westlife's outlook".As previously reported, Westlife are to release a double A-side single, 'Tonight', in March having pulled the January release of 'Miss You Nights'.

Westlife millionaire Kian Egan has just bought an incredible Christmas gift for himself in the form of a huge loft apartment in a fashionable part of London.
“Its been some year!” he reflects “I suppose the grestest hits album was one of the high-lights of the year for us,it was also a closing chapter for the band.We were innocents,new,fresh and very young when we started out four years ago,We didn’t know anything.We’ve kinda moved on and grown up since then,We’ve embarked on an entirely new chapter of our lives”

The arrival of the greatest hits album often heralds the death knell of a chart topping act-however Kian rubbishes rumours about Shane Filan and Bryan Mcfadden’s imminent departure from the band.
“I don’t know what to say at this stage” he says.
“We were always good friends but in the last six months,we’ve bonded more than ever before,I think we’ve all suddenly realised what we have and what we’ve achieved and actually start to really enjoy it.
this is the best job in the world.We just seemed to lose all the agro and all the silly niggly things that use to go on between us.We suddenly sat back,relaxed and came to appreciate what we had”
Nicky Byrne,Shane Filan,Bryan McFadden , really started living in the fast lane when they splashed out 250,000 euro each on Ferrari’ 575 Maranello motors.
Shane filan is putting finishing touches to a 1.6 million mansion in Sligo for him and his girlfriend Gillian Walsh and has just spent 30,000 on a snooker table,Shane who went to Dubai this month to recuperate from a lingering viral infection has also opened a new boutique with his sister mairead,in Sligo.
“we’re all going home for Christmas and then I think we’re all booking last minute holidays in the sun”says kian
“we’ve only got two weeks off but im going to south Africa for a quick break"
“we have to be back to shoot the new video for our new single ,which we’re relesing in feburary .We’ll be going to be doing that in Cuba which will be very nice.”
But Kian will have no-one to kiss under the mistletoe since splitting with danceer.Jessica Forsman”im single and enjoying it” he says.

07/12/2002

Bryan Trashes Breakup Rumours...

Bryan McFadden finally spoke out this weekend about the ridiculous rumours that he was leaving Westlife to start a TV career with his wife Kerry.

The press was full of stories last week claiming that Bryan and Kerry had visions of becoming the next big husband and wife chat show hosts to rival Richard and Judy... Well, it just aint true.

Bryan categorically stated in the Westlife / Sunday World journal:

"No matter how many times we say it, there are still some badly informed journalists out there printing stories that are completely untrue. I don't know where they get the idea that I'm leaving. Let me stress it one more time, BRYAN MCFADDEN IS NOT LEAVING WESTLIFE FOR A SOLO CAREER."

He also hinted that Westlife will be recording a new album next year, "We're back on tour next year, with sold out shows in Belfast and a big event happening in Dublin. And we'll also be going back into the recording studio to dream up a brand new album."

And what of him and Kerry? "Kerry and myself are expecting another little daughter, a sister for Molly," he proudly said.

25/11/2002

You can find out who won what at the Woolworths Smash Hits Poll Winners' Party 2002 right here. It's also the only place you can also find out where the rest of your online votes ended up as we present the smashhits.net Top 10s. 

 

12/11/2002

America Nearly Broke Westlife...

Westlife, who launched their Greatest Hits album in Dublin at the weekend, revealed that the band nearly broke-up while trying to break America.

For many Irish and UK bands America is the Holy Grail in terms of success, many go there searching but usually return with their tails between their legs. It seems Westlife are no different.In an interview with the News of the World Nicky Byrne said:

"There was never a row between the five of us but we felt at the time that we couldn't go on because of how badly things had been organised around us."

He went on, "Bryan freaked out. He really lost the plot and said he just had to go home and he couldn't deal with it and that's it. We booked a flight for Bryan and we just wished him the best."

Mark Feehily said: "We were in America and we should have been enjoying it, but we weren't so something had to be wrong. When we got back we really had to sit down with the record company to tell them to start treating us like human beings or they'd lose the band and we'd split up."

Mark finished off by saying: "But we didn't want that. America did nearly break us."

12/11/2002

Westlife back out of Popstars Christmas showdown
by John Dingwall

WESTLIFE have opted out of a pop battle with Popstars: The Rivals
for the Christmas No.1.

The Irish superstars, who this week notched up their 11th chart-
topper, were due to release a version of Cliff Richard's Miss You
Nights on December 18 - the same week as singles by the Popstars
rivals.

But the group demanded their song be put back because they feared an
embarrassing defeat .

Yesterday, Shane Filan told 192: "We're not releasing Miss You
Nights before Christmas. Instead we're going to be releasing in
January, because we're not going up against Popstars.

"There's no point in going up against a TV show that's been on for
three months with 10 million viewers.

"Look at the past - Pop Idol, Popstars or whatever. They all sell
two million in the first week. You can't compete against that much
support because of the hype around them. So we would rather go to
No.1 against a lesser known act."

There is no doubt that the Popstars will have a huge amount of hype
on their side, but Westlife could give them a run for their money,
judging by the reaction to their whistle-stop publicity tour.

192 joined the band as they entered the Guinness Book of Records by
visiting five HMV stores in less than 36 hours. They were mobbed in
Dublin and Belfast on Sunday, then faced 2500 screaming fans at the
HMV store on Edinburgh's Princes Street at 7am yesterday.

Around 500 fans had queued overnight, many with sleeping bags, to be
sure of getting to meet their idols as they signed copies of their
new album, Unbreakable: The Greatest Hits Vol 1.

Front of the queue was Robert Hillis and his 15-year-old daughter
Amanda, of Roseneath, near Helensburgh, who had queued for an
amazing 26 hours.

Robert said: "I didn't want my daughter coming here on her own. It's
been worth it just to see the smile on Amanda's face."

Six-year-old Vanessa McLeigh was also all smiles after asking the
boys to sign her Westlife calender - and Nicky Byrne lifted her on
to the table and she got a hug from all five members of the band.

Vanessa revealed: "Nicky is my favourite, so I was glad he picked me
up. I'd slept through the night in my sleeping bag and my mum looked
after me."

The boys were stunned by the response from Scots fans. Kian Egan
said: "We're overwhelmed. There were ridiculous amounts of people on
the streets in Dublin and Belfast - and it's the same story here.
It's absolutely amazing."

En route to Edinburgh, Nicky had provided the in-flight
entertainment by taking control of the hostess trolly and providing
us with food and drinks. Then Joker Bryan McFadden grabbed the
intercom and mimicked the pilot of the jet, nicknamed Westforce One.

After their Edinburgh appearance, it was on to Manchester and
London, but if the boys have their way, their next port of call
could be America.

Bryan said: "The last time we went to America, everything was wrong.
They tried to market us as a rock band and we're a pop band, but
it's not over yet.

"America isn't a priority any more, but we are going to give it
another crack."

The group also vowed to keep going long enough to release a Greatest
Hits Vol II. Nicky said: "Every other boy band, whether it's been
Take That or Boyzone, has split up after their Greatest Hits.

"We have always said we wanted to be different and we don't want to
let it go. We're having too much fun, to be honest.

"So if we can keep coming up with good songs, hopefully Greatest
Hits II will be in the pipeline."

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

Westlife: Get your butts back to the U.S.!!!

The sun (07/11/2002)

I would be on drugs if I hadn't met Kerry  

WESTLIFE star Bryan McFadden has admitted he would be hooked on booze and drugs if he had not married Kerry Katona.

In a frank confession, the singer revealed that he was spiralling out of control before he met the former Atomic Kitten babe.

He spoke to me as I joined the boys on a five-day visit to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur to promote their greatest hits album, Unbreakable.

And Bryan told me he knew that if he had continued on his road to destruction, he would have been out of the band.

But falling in love with Kerry pulled him back from the brink — and now he’s thanked his missus for getting him back on to the straight and narrow.

Bryan met Kerry, 22, at a showbiz bash when both singers were just starting out as pop stars. He had already tasted success with Westlife while she was about to hit the big time with Atomic Kitten.

The 22-year-old reveals he knew she was “the one” the moment he laid eyes on her.

And he popped the question just THREE WEEKS after they started dating. Bryan told me: “The moment I saw her I knew we would get married. When we first met we had a fascination with each other. “We were madly in love and it was very physical, if you know what I mean. The only way it has changed now is that I love her even more than when we got together. I’ve found out more about her and I like her even more. If I didn’t have her, I wouldn’t be in Westlife now. There was a time when I was out every night partying. Although I have never taken drugs in my life, the kind of person I am, I would have at some point and I’d have got used to it. I would have accepted it as the norm. “I reckon I’d be messed up with drugs if I hadn’t met her. I wouldn’t be the person I am today. “I would be drinking a lot more too. Kerry is my excuse to go home. She has made life more interesting. “I asked her to marry me after three weeks but it didn’t leak out until a year later. I knew the moment I was with her I’d found the woman I would be with the rest of my life.” The young couple, who tied the knot in January, have a one-year-old daughter, Molly. They are expecting their second child in February. Despite the millionaire lifestyle, Bryan finds it tough being away from home and hates ot seeing Molly grow up. During Westlife’s trip to Kuala Lumpur, the tot started nursery.
But his disappointment is eased by the knowledge that Molly will never go without, thanks to the millions he earns as one fifth of the chart-topping boy band. Bryan — the burly funnyman of the group — shows his softer side when asked about his daughter.
He says: “Molly started nursery today but I’m on the other side of the world. That’s hard because I would have loved to have been there. “She’s my flesh and blood. I am so proud that she is mine. I never imagined I would ever feel about anyone the way I feel about Molly. I always loved children but it’s different when you have one of your own.
She wasn’t planned but she is the best surprise you could wish for. “When she was born I was numb. A couple of days later the loving feeling kicked in and now every day she does something new. It’s great. “It is tough being away from my family so much but I look at what I do now with one eye on the future. “If Westlife carry on for ten more years then great. But after that I will retire and stay home and wait for Molly to come home from school. “Being away is made easier by the fact that I now have enough money to make sure she never wants for anything. “If I wasn’t in Westlife, I would probably be in college and not able to buy the things I can for her.”That happiness was shattered earlier this year when it was revealed that Bryan had slept with lap-dancer Amy Barker, 28, on his stag night in Dublin. Blonde Amy also accused Bryan of offering her a £15,000 bribe to keep quiet about their night of passion. But the news leaked — and his marriage seemed doomed. He says: “There was a lot of fighting. That story couldn’t have happened at a worse time because I was away on tour. But Kerry and I worked through it. We’re more in love than ever.” The Westlife lads — Bryan, Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne and Mark Feehily — are expected to get their 11th No1 on Sunday with the single Unbreakable. They spent their time in Malaysia under round-the-clock security following the terrorist bombing on the nearby Indonesian island of Bali. I was with the band when they were whisked through the streets to the national football stadium amid a frenzy of blue lights and police out-riders. The blacked-out limo in front contained two burly minders, armed with shotguns. But nothing could take away the magic of the visit. Nicky said: “The whole trip has been a real eye-opener. The security is tight but necessary and we wanted to show that the terrorists cannot be allowed to win.“The band have enjoyed it and we are still enjoying being together. We may have a greatest hits album coming out but we are not about to split up. “Westlife are as close, if not closer, than the day we started. They’re like my second family.” Westlife’s greatest hits CD, Unbreakable, is released on Monday. The single Unbreakable is out now.

Two-goal Nicky goes
back to his boots

NICKY BYRNE showed off his soccer skills during the trip in a match at the national stadium in front of 20,000 people.The singer was a promising goalkeeper as a youngster and had trials with Premiership side Leeds United. He was bitterly disappointed to be ditched aged just 18.During the tour he captained the Westlife XI against local side the Malaysian Rockers United. Playing in midfield he scored twice as his team, which also featured the rest of the lads – and me – won 7-1 in a game following a gig they played at the ground.Nicky, 24 who also got booked in the match, told me afterwards: “Before I was even at Leeds I dreamed of playing in a packed national stadium. What footballer doesn’t?At Leeds I thought I was going to go all the way. I had visions of playing for Ireland.“Then my career in the game was over before it had even got going. I was gutted.“The match here in Malaysia went some way to making up for that. I had been looking forward to it for months.“To play in front of 20,000 people was absolutely amazing.”Nicky spent two years chasing his dream of becoming a footballer. When things turned sour he thought his chance of fame had vanished. He returned to Ireland and started singing karaoke with his dad - and that’s when he decided to pursue his other passion, music.It was as he was struggling to get over his disappointment with Leeds that he spotted an advert to audition for a boy band. Nicky told me: “Westlife has helped me get over not making it as a footballer. The band saved me.“I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do when things went wrong.”He added: “I was different from a lot of the other lads at the football club anyway. I got stick in the dressing room for listening to Boyzone when they liked dance music.”The match wasn’t the lads’ only sporting outing during the trip, they also took to the golf course.

01/11/2002

Westlife on huge prome tour

Westlife´s forthcoming greatest hits CD is set to be one of the biggest albums of the year. And just to make sure, the lads are now heading out on one of the year´s biggest prome trails. In just 36 hours, Shane and co aim to visit three countries and five cities in order to promote the CD. It all begins in Dublin, Ireland, on Sunday, November 10, when Westlife will meet fans in the city´s flagship HMV store at lunchtime. Then they´re off to HMV Belfast. The nonstop tour kicks off again on Monday morning at HMV in Edinburgh, Scotland, then the falles will be meeting fans in Manchester´s main HMV store. It all comes to an end in London, England, late that afternoon when Westlife will be presenting fans with a huge banner at a secret location. The banner is a replica of the album and will be signed by fans who the lads met during the promo trail. As soon as we have any news on the secret London location, we´ll let you know. It´s not all work though. On Monday night Westlife are throwing a celeb-packed album launch party in Kensington, south-west London. We recon the guys deserve to let their air down after all that. (source: popworld.com)

31/10/2002

German tour dates:  29.042003 Köln, 03.05.2003 München, 04.05.2003 Frankfurt, 06.05.2003 Hamburg

Kartenvorverkauf ab dem 09.11.2002 

28/10/2002

" Westlife heart-throb Bryan McFadden is set to be the next Ronan
Keating - as he limbers up to launch a solo career. But he's allayed
fans' worries by insisting he won't be leaving the record breaking
Irish band. Handsome Bryan will be the first member to branch out on
his own, and is enlisting rock star Bryan Admas to take him to the
top of the charts. Bryan says he'll release his first solo single in
the summer, after the Westlife British tour ends. A source at the
band's label RCA Records says, "Bryan's absolutely not leaving the
band but is really excited about doing some songs on his own. He's a
really talented lad so I've no doubt he'll produce some great songs." "